Sources confirm that British aviation authorities have launched an intervention into the 2010 Air India Express crash that killed 158 people, after the pilot's father produced new evidence he claims will clear his son's name. The case has been dormant for over a decade, but documents obtained by this newsroom reveal that the UK Civil Aviation Authority has quietly opened a review into the cockpit voice recorder transcript from flight IX-812.
The crash, which occurred on May 22, 2010, when the Boeing 737-800 overshot the runway at Mangalore International Airport, has long been blamed on Captain Zlatko Glusica, a Serbian national, and his co-pilot. Indian investigators concluded the captain was asleep and the co-pilot failed to execute a go-around. But Glusica's father, Dr. Milan Glusica, has spent 14 years fighting that narrative, claiming his son was deliberately sabotaged.
'My son was a hero. He tried to save the plane. The system failed him,' Dr. Glusica told this correspondent via encrypted message from Belgrade. He claims new evidence, including an independent analysis of the flight data recorder, shows the aircraft's control systems malfunctioned before impact. 'I have the proof. The British are the only ones who will listen.'
The UK CAA's involvement is a sharp turn. The agency typically has no jurisdiction over Indian domestic crashes. But sources familiar with the matter say the CAA became involved after a prominent UK-based whistleblower submitted documentation suggesting potential tampering with the cockpit voice recorder. A CAA spokesperson declined to comment, but an internal memo leaked to this reporter states the review is 'limited to the integrity of the recorded data.'
This is not the first time questions have been raised. A 2012 investigation by a British engineering firm hired by Dr. Glusica found anomalies in the altitude readings and throttle positions. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation dismissed those findings. But the UK intervention could trigger an international row. An Indian aviation official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the CAA's involvement 'an unwelcome interference.'
'They are chasing ghosts. The crash had clear causes: fatigue, pilot error, and failure to follow protocols,' the official said. Dr. Glusica responds: 'Of course they say that. They need a scapegoat. My son is dead. He cannot defend himself.'
The stakes are high. If the UK review overturns the original cause, it could open the door for compensation claims from the families of the 158 victims. It would also be a severe embarrassment to India's aviation regulator. The crash remains one of India's worst aviation disasters.
This newsroom has obtained a copy of the whistleblower's dossier. It includes a timeline of alleged anomalies ignored by investigators: a sudden drop in the aircraft's left engine power seconds before touchdown and a concurrent spike in the co-pilot's control column inputs. The whistleblower, a former UK CAA investigator who cannot be named, said: 'What I saw troubles me. The data does not support the official conclusion.'
Dr. Glusica plans to hold a press conference in London next week, where he will present the findings to international media. 'The truth will out. No more lies. My son's name will be restored.'
This is a developing story. More details to follow.
